Application for Canadian Citizenship - A Comprehensive Guide

[hotshot45890]

Need your suggestion guys on my application. Im yet to apply for my police certificate from my home country and is thinking of submitting my application without. Police certificate application is ready but will definitely have a delay in getting it back from my home country. Is this a wise choice to make?

I wouldn't recommend it. It will most likely be returned (99.999%) probability of return.

Consider the risk this way: 2 month delay and then having the comfort that your application will be accepted or sending it without, waiting 7-8 month for it to be opened and returned and then sending again and waiting for another 7-8 months based on the Covid back log. You will be wasting over a year by going this route IMO.

 

[x4xp]

PART - 4​

Q16: This covers prohibitions. Give Situations that may prevent you from becoming a Canadian citizen a read.

• There are 9 questions and 15 check boxes under Q16. If any of these apply to you, I strongly suggest that you discuss with an Immigration attorney before you submit your application.

Q16 (a): I have read and understand the prohibitions under the Citizenship Act

• Check the box to indicate that you have read and understood the prohibitions. Everyone MUST check this box.

Q16 (b): If you have checked "YES" to any of the questions listed above, provide details. You may need to provide fingerprints and/or court documents and/ or attend an in-person interview to make sure you are not prohibited under the Citizenship Act

• If you checked 'YES' for any of the 15 check boxes under Q16, provide details here. Otherwise, write N/A.

Q17: Consent to Disclose Personal Information after you acquire citizenship

• This question has 3 parts to it - Whatever you answer here will NOT change the outcome of the application so I am not going to elaborate on it.
• However, please check 'YES' OR 'NO'. Do not leave these questions unanswered.

Q18: SIGNATURE OF APPLICANT

• Very important. Please do NOT forget to sign your application.
• Also, very important - You should be eligible for citizenship on the day BEFORE you sign and date your application.
• Do NOT post-date the application. If your application is post-dated, it will be returned to you.
• The date printed here must NOT be more than 90 days old when IRCC receives it. In other words, your application should reach IRCC before 90 days from the date the application was signed.

That completes our citizenship application. Next step is to collect documents.

Gather your documents

Now that you have filled your Application form, you'd have to gather your documents to support the information provided. Let's discuss about what needs to be submitted below. Use this section as a supplement to the IRCC's Document Checklist.

1. The Citizenship application form (CIT 0002)

• You MUST submit the application form that we filled in the previous step.
• Once again, DO NOT FORGET TO DATE AND SIGN YOUR APPLICATION.
• Also, do NOT forget that you should be eligible the day before the date mentioned in your application.
• Do NOT post-date the application.

2. The Online Physical Presence Calculator (OR) How to Calculate Physical Presence (CIT 0407)

• Like I mentioned in the previous section, the online physical presence calculator is much easier to work with instead of trying to calculate manually.
• You would have to create an account if you don't already have it.
• Once you key in all the information, the physical presence calculator provides you with two things:
  • Your eligibility period, which you would have to enter in your Citizenship application form.
  • It'll also give you the total number of days you've been present in Canada and will tell you if you meet the physical presence requirement or not.
• DO NOT FORGET TO SIGN AND DATE THE PHYSICAL PRESENCE CALCULATOR SHEET.

3. Photocopies of all biographical pages of Passport / Travel Document

• You have to submit biographical pages of ALL YOUR PASSPORTS COVERING THE ENTIRETY OF YOUR ELIGIBILITY PERIOD.
• If you held multiple passports during your 5-year eligibility period (for instance, if your passport was renewed during this time and you got a new passport), you MUST submit the biographical pages of both passports.
• If you have a passport whose validity was extended by placing an extension stamp on your passport, you MUST submit the passport page containing the extension stamp as well.

4. Photocopy of proof that demonstrates adequate knowledge of English OR French (for applicants between 18 and 54 years of age).

• There are NUMEROUS documents you can submit as proof. See what documents you can use as language proof.
• The most commonly used documents are below:
  • Photocopy of IELTS Test report used for immigration (4 or higher in speaking and 4.5 or higher in listening is required) - EVEN IF IT IS EXPIRED
  • Photocopy of "degree, diploma, certificate or official transcripts from a secondary or post-secondary education program showing you studied in English or French, in Canada or abroad.
    • If these documents are not in English then, additionally, you have to submit "a letter from the school showing that the language of instruction was in English or French (including an official translation of the original document" AND "the address and contact information (phone number) of the education institution"

5. Photocopy of personal identification document

• You MUST submit TWO PIECES OF PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION.
• You can use any of the following documents as personal identification.
  • a copy of the biographical page of your passport/travel document
  • health insurance card
  • driver’s licence
  • senior citizen identification card
  • age of majority card
  • foreign identity documents, such as a passport or government issued identification documents
• From what I understand, the most common pieces of identification would be your driver's license and health card.
• NOTE 1: You CANNOT SUBMIT PR CARD AS AN IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENT.
• NOTE 2: If there is information on both sides of your ID, PRINT BOTH SIDES OF THE ID.

6. Citizenship Photos

• Print the Citizenship Application Photo Specifications and take this to a photographer.

7. Fees Receipt

• The fee for an adult is CAD 630 and CAD 100 for a child.
• Pay your fees online
• From the above link, select your application type, enter quantity, login and pay the fee.
• You can pay the fee online using Credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, UnionPay).
• You can also pay using some debit cards (Visa Debit AND Debit cards that use Interac + are registered for online banking <Canadian Debit cards only>)
• You can also use pre-paid cards. If you do use them, keep them for the next 18 months (in case your fee needs to be returned).
• NOTE: Once you pay the fee and receive the receipt via e-mail, DO NOT FORGET TO SUBMIT THIS RECEIPT AS A PART OF YOUR APPLICATION PACKAGE.

8. The Document Checklist

• Finally, you MUST submit the document checklist as a part of your application package. The document checklist here is for Adult Citizenship applicants. If you have minors in the application, then you might want to download the appropriate document (I have hyperlinked this at the top of this post - Just search for 'minor').
• The first 8 documents specified in the document checklist are MANDATORY for everybody. The documents we've discussed in this section so far are all mandatory documents.
• There are 9 other documents which you must submit if it applies to you.
  • If ANY of your documents are NOT in English or French, you must get those documents translated, notarized AND INCLUDE BOTH THE ORIGINAL AND THE TRANSLATED VERSIONS as a part of your application package. You must check the 'Translations' document in case you are submitting translated copies.
  • If you are to submit police certificates, then you must check the 'Original Police Certificates or Clearances'. YOU MUST SUBMIT YOUR ORIGINAL POLICE CERTIFICATE AND NOT A PHOTOCOPY.
• Likewise, if any of the other situation applies to you, you must check those boxes and submit appropriate documents.

9. Letter of Explanation

• This is a very powerful tool - use it properly.
• In case you would like to clarify / provide more explanation about a document or any content in the application form, use a letter of explanation.
• Be to the point and precise - Explain your situation clearly.
• Be polite in your tone.

Do we need by any chance to send a copy of our PR card alongside the documents with the applications? I can't find that in the document checklist.

 

[bojangless]

3. Photocopies of all biographical pages of Passport / Travel Document

• You have to submit biographical pages of ALL YOUR PASSPORTS COVERING THE ENTIRETY OF YOUR ELIGIBILITY PERIOD.
• If you held multiple passports during your 5-year eligibility period (for instance, if your passport was renewed during this time and you got a new passport), you MUST submit the biographical pages of both passports.
• If you have a passport whose validity was extended by placing an extension stamp on your passport, you MUST submit the passport page containing the extension stamp as well.

*I am confused, can someone help me for this. Do I need to only photocopy my passport with all my info? or do i need to include all the travels and visa I had before I landed to canada?

Thank you!!

 

[Ladymarie]

Need your suggestion guys on my application. Im yet to apply for my police certificate from my home country and is thinking of submitting my application without. Police certificate application is ready but will definitely have a delay in getting it back from my home country. Is this a wise choice to make?

why are you getting one from your country of origin. we aren't required to if you spent the time in your country of origin prior to landing in Canada and that time falls within the 4 yr period. recheck the instructions

 

[Ladymarie]

Do we need by any chance to send a copy of our PR card alongside the documents with the applications? I can't find that in the document checklist.

that would be a nice to have - not mandatory

 

[Ladymarie]

3. Photocopies of all biographical pages of Passport / Travel Document

• You have to submit biographical pages of ALL YOUR PASSPORTS COVERING THE ENTIRETY OF YOUR ELIGIBILITY PERIOD.
• If you held multiple passports during your 5-year eligibility period (for instance, if your passport was renewed during this time and you got a new passport), you MUST submit the biographical pages of both passports.
• If you have a passport whose validity was extended by placing an extension stamp on your passport, you MUST submit the passport page containing the extension stamp as well.

*I am confused, can someone help me for this. Do I need to only photocopy my passport with all my info? or do i need to include all the travels and visa I had before I landed to canada?

Thank you!!

just the 1 bio page of your passport where your photo, name, dob etc appears for all the passports you've had that covers your eligibility years. i have used 2 passports so am providing 2 copies - 1 for each

 

[MDM23]

Hello All,
I have started my citizenship application(self, wife and minor daughter). Please clarify my understanding below with a yes/no, would really appreciate it. Few concerns might need an explanation. Please bear with me and help me out. Thanks in advance.

COMPULSORY DOCUMENTS- for 18 yrs and over( set each for self and wife)
1. Citizenship application form
2. Online Physical Calculator
3. Passport pages - I am not sure what is all included in biographical pages. is it the first and last page, plus the stamped (immigration and departure ) and visa pages?
4. Proof of adequate knowledge of English - I have my expired IELTS from 2016, I will submit that. FOr my wife, is it ok to submit the Bachelor's convcation certificate(its in english) which she completed back home and not in Canada? Any additional document required here?
5. Photocopies of personal identification document - Copy of first and last page of passport (has photo and address) and driver's license. I will submit 1 photocopy of each. Please suggest if otherwise.
6. Citizenship photos.
7. Fees Receipt
8. Document checklist.

OPTIONAL DOCUMENTS-
1. All mentioned above is in English, so I guess I don't need this.
2. Residence outside Canada - the form says to refer instruction guide step 4.9c and this step talks about being employed out of Canada while on PR which is not true for us. After getting PR we haven't been out of Canada. SO we will omit this. Please advise if otherwise.
3. Police certificate. This is where I have a doubt. We initially came to Canada on a work visa in Dec 2013. We kept getting our worker and dependent visa renewed until we got our PR in April 2017. When on visa, we went back home for vacation, 2 times, each for around 30 days. After PR, we haven't been outside Canada. So do we need to submit PCC? the instruction guide point 10 is confusing. if someone can help with a yes or no, then it would be really helpful.
4. Use or representative. Submitting it independently, so will omit this form.
5. Photocopies of the name change - Parents name on kids' birth certificate(my name omitted from her given name but its included in her passport in the given name), wife's degree certificate are different(pre-marriage name). So do we need to submit an affidavit for this? Please suggest if otherwise.
6. Do we need to submit birth certificates for any of the applicants(self, wife, or minor kid)?

ADULT APPLICATION FORM CONCERNS:
1. Q 9b: the online physical calculator is considering my last 5 years for eligibility and this period is a mix of worker visa and PR. the worker visa was renewed and there is a gap of 10 days -90 days between the expiry date of the previous visa to start date of the renewed visa. in short, this shows as a gap, but i was in Canada and very much working but the CIC took long to process. So do I need to explain this in Letter of explanation separately or its ok to mention the visa start and expiry date reflecting the gaps and it shouldn't be an issue? Similar situation for kid and wife dependant visas.


MINOR APPLICATION FORM CONCERNS:
1. 8E asks for minor’s parent's certificate number(birth or citizenship) but we are applying for citizenship, so should we leave this blank? if not then please let me know what needs to be specified here.
2. 6 b, asks for home town/city, should we mention the cut-off name from COPR or the complete name from the passport? this applies to the adult applications as well.
3. 8F asks if parents left canada before 1977 for 1 year, we weren't even born in 1977, I guess we should say no?
4. For oath, they say minor is optional. is it completely upto us to decide? what do majority of people do for minors?


Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this and respond.

 

[Stuntxd9]

why are you getting one from your country of origin. we aren't required to if you spent the time in your country of origin prior to landing in Canada and that time falls within the 4 yr period. recheck the instructions

Im not at the 4 yr period

 

[Stuntxd9]

I wouldn't recommend it. It will most likely be returned (99.999%) probability of return.

Consider the risk this way: 2 month delay and then having the comfort that your application will be accepted or sending it without, waiting 7-8 month for it to be opened and returned and then sending again and waiting for another 7-8 months based on the Covid back log. You will be wasting over a year by going this route IMO.

Thank you

 

[Stuntxd9]

If you clicked yes for being outside Canada for 183 days or more and you did not submit a PCC with your application, they will send it back as incomplete.

Thanks

 

[suddeb]

Thank you for the detail post. It is super super helpful.

 

[Ladymarie]

Im not at the 4 yr period

Oh gotcha ...ma bad!

 

[Sniperflutt]

Hi All
Appreciate your help regarding filling the minor application. In question number 9 in the application there is a part that asks for the minor physical presence "Has the minor been outside of Canada for a total of 730 days or more in the past
five (5) years or since becoming a permanent resident?"
so my question is if he became PR on 2014-06 which is more than 5 years from today should I mention the absence from Canada since the PR date or just for the last 5 years which will be 2015-07?
Thanks

 

[AvaMari]

I live in Quebec, I didn't finish my program of studies yet, can I submit my Relevé des apprentissages with list of modules I already completed as proof of language?

 

[AvaMari]

If I am studying full time online, should I write my home address at the "Address of the place of study" or should I wright both - the address of the educational institution from my Relevé des apprentissages and my home address ? (The educational institution is located in another city of my province)